tld

I am traveling in a party of four that has an overnight layover at AMS. We are scheduled to arrive around 19:00 local time.

We may or may not want to go into the city that evening; we will definitely want to go the following morning. We have to be back in time for an international flight departing at 13:20. For reasons I don't care to go into, each of us in the party is lugging two suitcases.

I have been to Amsterdam several times, but two of my companions have never been; we will probably take the train and just wander around Prinsengracht or what have you. No big plans, just would like to savor a little taste of the city. I'm open to suggestions of how best to do that in the time allowed.

My specific request for advice is, where is the most convenient location to stay in order to get in and out of the airport most efficiently? Does staying at one of the hotels *in* the airport make any difference? Are the luggage lockers at AMS large enough to accommodate two 22" suitcases?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Gardyloo

We've stayed at the Ibis at Schiphol a couple of times and would do so again. It's not IN the airport per se (and therefore quite a lot cheaper) but the shuttle is frequent and fast.

PalenQ

Ditto to what Gardyloo says - I stayed at the IBIS (www.accorhotels.com) - lockers are big enough for large suitcases - there are several sizes and also a manually operated left-luggage counter - but I have not been there in a few years but that's the way it has been for years before anyway. there is also a Novotel and other hotels on the airport perpiphery - having to check in 2.5 or 3 hours before means staying at the airport area is nice - there are loads of stores and cafes and stuff at the airport to while away any time before your flight. You could leave your luggage in the left-luggage lockers right under the arrivals hall or take them easily to your hotel on the free shuttle bus from right outside the terminal.

tld

Thank you, Gardyloo and PalenQ. I will look into the Ibis.

Does anyone know if the Mercure at the airport is still under construction?

hetismij2

The Ibis isn't that great if you want to go into town in the evening as you will need to go back to Schiphol to get into the city. It does have a pretty good restaurant and a bar if you decide to stay put though.
Is your onward flight within Europe or is it intercontinental? It affects your check in times, and consequently how long you could safely spend in the city the following day.
Gates close early and you can't afford to be late.

I don't have a suggestion for a hotel but you may be better staying in the city so you can cut out a lot of wasted travel time.

Dukey1

There are other hotels like the Sheraton which are within walking distance of the terminal if something like the Ibis is not convenient, doesn't appeal, etc.

In fact, that Sheraton may actually be closer to the Schiphol train station for a possible trip into the city.

menachem

It is. Sheraton is on top of the train station and you'll be at Central Station within 20 minutes. Trains run pretty late too, with night trains as a direct service from CS to Schiphol.

Check trains at ns.nl

In the morning, check in at Schiphol will be a piece of cake.

However, your flight will require you to be at check in about 2 - 3 hours before departure. So that would place you at 10.30 - 11. That's a shortish stroll, not really worth it.

So, maybe: on arrival, check in at hotel, shower, clothes, leave luggage, perhaps get a quick bite on the go, take train to Ams, where you could be at about 20:30 - 20:45. Perfect timing for a night on the town.

Take the night train back, and you can have a leisurely morning breakfasting and doing a slow check in.

HappyTrvlr

We stayed overnight at the Hilton at Schipol and it was very convenient to flights and train.

greg

Sheraton at airport is the "most convenient location to stay in order to get in and out of the airport most efficiently."

However I don't think this is what you are looking for if I read what you wrote.

Sheraton charges for that convenience to airport. Hilton is priced nearly at same level as Sheraton, but is significantly further away. Ibis is cheaper, but you trade off time to stay there.

For your return flight, you need to be at the airport around 10:30am. If you take a train from Amsterdam Centraal to Schiphol, you would take a train around 10:00am. Even though the trip is about 15min and the trains run frequently, they do have some glitches. Last time I took a train from Amsterdam Centraal, the train everyone was waiting for suddenly disappeared from the arrival display and had to wait 15 min for next one. There was a mad dash to get onto this standing room only train with luggage.

To get on the train around 10am, you would have to start heading to that direction around 9:30-9:45am depending on where you are starting.

What can do in Amsterdam until 9:30am if you don't visit there the night before? It seems you can't get any meaningful time in Amsterdam unless you stay in the city.

To do this, before you fly into AMS, repack you luggage so the overnight things are in you carry-on/day pack. Leave as much luggage as possible at AMS locker and head to town via either connextion bus #197 http://www.connexxion.nl/dienstregel...7&dgCode=12345 (click "Kaart" to see the route map) if you are staying at the south end of Amsterdam or by train if you are staying at the north end of the city with your overnight stuff. Do evening sightseeing. Sleep overnight in Amsterdam, spend a few hours in town before start heading toward Schiphol around 9:30am.

Because you would be "starting" the day from city on your return flight day, it does not help to stay overnight at airport.

You can further squeeze time by taking a taxi from Schiphol to Amsterdam and back.

greg

Also for future reference, when you booked this flight, did you have to choose the 19:00 arrival flight or did you just take it because the booking engine offered the 18 hour 20 min layover? When I see this kind of hard to use layover, I play with the booking engine to see if I can force a longer layover at no additional airfare. They don't offer this automatically, but you can force booking engines to combine flights.

If I can find a flight arriving around 14:00, for example, it is usually still considered a "layover". In this case, staying in airport can make sense. You check-in at airport hotel, head to the city for the afternoon and the evening, come back late at night to the airport and can even stay at Ibis without time penalty since you are no longer pressed for time at this point. Next day, you can sleep in and make a leisurely trip to the airport from Ibis since you no longer have to make a trip to the city.

If you try to do this with a flight that could have connected to your 13:20 flight, for example, arriving in AMS at 11:00, you will be hit with a very high airfare. It is now considered "stopover" and no longer a "layover."

tld

This is all very helpful, thank you.

Greg, unfortunately I can't do anything about the flights. I'm just trying to make use of what seems like an opportunity to spend a little time in Amsterdam. I hadn't considered the idea of staying at a hotel downtown, but as I think of it that might be the best way to do what I'm hoping. At the very least we can see the city in daylight and go for a walk after breakfast.

Hmmm.....